Abhiroop Das
Helmed by David Yarovesky, ‘Brightburn‘ tells the story of Brandon Meyers, who, at the age of twelve, realizes that he has superpowers. Keeping this fact a secret from his parents, Kyle and Tori, Brandon begins to hone his abilities, gradually steering them down a darker path. Soon, he begins to lock heads with his parents and classmates alike, realizing that his extraordinary strength naturally gives him the upper hand. This transformation, however, comes at a psychological cost, one that leaves both his life and that of his near and dear ones changed forever. This horror sci-fi movie takes the genre conventions of superhero stories and turns them on their head, showing just how terrifying superhuman abilities can be when used with the wrong intentions. To that end, the movie dives deeper into the mind of a child and how he might react to unknown stimuli in equally unusual ways. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Brandon AKA Brightburn is an Alien Child Living Amongst Humans
From its very beginning, ‘Brightburn’ is transparent about Brandon being an alien baby who crash-lands on Earth inside a spaceship. The fact that he lands next to Kyle and Tori Breyer’s house appears to be a complete coincidence, but the couple, who have been childless for quite some time, certainly do not think so. The scene is intentionally evocative of classic superhero origin narratives, and in keeping with the tradition, Kyle and Tori decide to adopt the baby and name him Brandon. Notably, for most of his childhood, he is effectively indistinguishable from normal humans. Aside from his prodigious intellect, he appears to be entirely composed of human features. However, things take a drastic turn when he enters puberty, as, on top of the usual changes children his age experience, Brandon begins to develop superhuman strength and senses. These changes seem to affect him on a psychological level, too, as he becomes noticeably more oppressive and violent.
Up until this point, Brandon does not know the truth about his extraterrestrial heritage, as his parents decide to keep it a secret. The biggest loose end in their decision, however, turns out to be the spaceship that lies hidden under the trapdoor of their barn. Despite showing no signs of activity for over a decade, the ship suddenly turns back on, deciphering alien messages for Brandon. The fact that he is able to access a completely new language only proves that he is connected to the extraterrestrial forces on some level. In doing so, he finds a malicious outlet for his immense strength and other supernatural abilities, swiftly turning into an enemy of humanity. Although Brandon appears to have all the characteristics of a normal human on the surface, the final moments of the movie reveal him to be an entirely different entity, with hardly anything in common with humanity.
Brandon’s Psychopathic Tendencies Might Be the Result of Alien Programming
In the same vein as popular superhero stories, Brandon possesses superhuman strength, the ability to fly, heat vision, and a barrage of other unusual abilities. However, what sets him out as an evil figure towards the movie’s end is his complete apathy towards human life. Instead, Brandon appears to take pleasure in torturing the humans he believes have wronged him. All of this indicates a potentially darker side to his psyche, many of which are consistent with the conventional symptoms of psychopathy. Although the movie’s depiction of Brandon’s psyche is heavily dramatized, his obsession with mutilation and bloodshed, as well as his inability to control his rage, point to him as a serious threat to society. Despite him frequently alternating between apathy and aggression, Brandon also reveals, at points, a deeply human side, seeking emotional support and guidance from the two people he has known his entire life: his parents. This suggests that there is perhaps more to what is going on with the young teen.
Notably, a key turning point in Brandon’s character arc takes place when he is engulfed in a bizarre alien ritual. While trying to communicate with the vessel, he begins to have seizures, following which he chants a series of phrases in alien and human languages. The words “take the world” stand out in particular, and from here a switch is flipped on in Brandon’s head, triggering his violent episodes. Although the exact origins of the alien messages remain ambiguous, the scene can be interpreted as the aliens brainwashing him into a mindset that is geared for world domination. Whatever positive relationship he has had with humanity begins to erode immediately after this moment, which confirms that his downward spiral is also influenced by the external forces that were placed upon him.
In the movie, Brandon frequently dons a mask and a cap before performing acts of unspeakable horror and evil. This persona of his even has a name, Brightburn, which frames him as a conventional supervillain more than a superhero. However, the existence of this alter-ego figure in Brandon’s mind suggests that he might have dissociative identity disorder, wherein his psyche splits into two or more personalities. This is consistent with the first time Brandon reaches out to his spaceship, seemingly in a dazed and hypnotized state. Upon being shaken awake by his mother, he appears to have no recollection of what happened or how he got there. Although by the end of the movie, Brandon appears to have given in to his violent, world-threatening tendencies, the contrast between his past and present reminds us that there might be a traumatized child trapped under a layer of chaos and bloodshed.
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